1,720,968 research outputs found
A Wearable Device for PPG Acquisition and Continuous Detection of Sleep Apnea Episodes
No full textObstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome (OSAS) is a common sleep related disorder that causes the cessation of breathing during sleep. The Gold Standard for diagnosing sleep apnea (SA) is overnight polysomnography (PSG), a test during which various physiological parameters are monitored. However, PSG is an expensive and time-consuming procedure, since it requires dedicated personnel and labs. In the past years, various techniques have been proposed for home-diagnosis of SA, like monitoring ECG and oxygen saturation, air flow, thoracic movements, respiratory sounds, and others. The aim of this work is to presents a microcontroller-based, Bluetooth enabled, wearable device for real-time acquisition of photoplethysmographic (PPG) signal and a MATLAB-based digital framework for PPG processing. The wearable device is embedded in a comfortable cotton headband, making it easy to wear and suitable for different measurement scenarios, such as clinical environments, during sport activities, during sleep, and so on. To measure the PPG signal we chose the NellcorTM Max-Fast Forehead SpO2 reflectance sensor. Thanks to the wireless communication link to a PC, the wearable device can be used both in clinical scenarios and at home, in telemedicine systems. At the same time, the digital signal processing framework allows new algorithms research on automatic analysis of PPG signals for detection and diagnosis of sleep apnea
A 0.07 mm2 asynchronous logic CMOS pulsed receiver based on radio events self-synchronization
No full textThis paper presents an ultra-low-power radio receiver implemented only with CMOS logic gates used as basic building blocks and proves its operation. The self-timed duty-cycled system is self-synchronized with the input radio signal, runs a noise-robust baseband detection and does not require any reference besides power supply. Based on S-OOK modulation, the 350-450 MHz digital radio RX occupies an area of 0.07 mm 2 in a 130 nm RFCMOS technology and achieves a 0.1% sensitivity of -63 dBm at 95 kbps, 380 MHz center frequency and 40 μW active power consumption at 1.1 V power supply. At 1.0 V it achieves -62 dBm sensitivity and 33 μW active power at ~ 0.1% error rate. The compact receiver, whose architecture is parametric and technology scalable, suits energy harvested and miniaturized biomedical applications. The paper also presents the potential advantages of asynchronous logic pulse radio and introduces an ad-hoc VHDL model demonstrating RTL-/gate-level accurate error-rate predictions capabilities based on digital simulation only, i.e., without requiring electrical-level co-simulation
A 0.07 mm^2 Asynchronous Logic CMOS Pulsed Receiver Based on Radio Events Self-Synchronization
No full textThis paper presents an ultra-low-power radio receiver implemented only with CMOS logic gates used as basic building blocks and proves its operation. The self-timed duty-cycled system is self-synchronized with the input radio signal, runs a noise-robust baseband detection and does not require any reference besides power supply. Based on S-OOK modulation, the 350-450 MHz digital radio RX occupies an area of 0.07 mm 2 in a 130 nm RFCMOS technology and achieves a 0.1% sensitivity of -63 dBm at 95 kbps, 380 MHz center frequency and 40 μW active power consumption at 1.1 V power supply. At 1.0 V it achieves -62 dBm sensitivity and 33 μW active power at ~ 0.1% error rate. The compact receiver, whose architecture is parametric and technology scalable, suits energy harvested and miniaturized biomedical applications. The paper also presents the potential advantages of asynchronous logic pulse radio and introduces an ad-hoc VHDL model demonstrating RTL-/gate-level accurate error-rate predictions capabilities based on digital simulation only, i.e., without requiring electrical-level co-simulation
Towards an integrated TV-based system for active ageing and tele-care
No full textActive ageing and independent living are primary
goals of modern society, experiencing a progressive increase of the
elderly population. The societal challenges of promoting inclusion
strategies along with home-care services supporting independence
and de-hospitalization strike against the sustainability of policies
tackling these aspects in traditional ways.
This paper presents the first steps of an AAL Joint Programme
project, HEREiAM, aimed at developing an interactive TV-based
technological platform, designed around the expected users and
delivering both healthcare and AAL services directly in the user’s
home. Mainly thought to break down the digital divide for the
elderly, it will take advantage of this preliminary profiling and
usability study to define the specifications able to create a really
usable system embodying the required functionalities
A Telemonitoring Framework Designed for Elderly Patients
No full textTelemonitoring is nowadays one of the most sought-after approach for patient management, especially for those suffering from chronic conditions. It involves different actors and exploits various technologies for monitoring patients at distance. In this paper, a telemonitoring framework specifically designed for elderly patients is presented. The proposed system takes advantage of an Android application that can be used on different devices (smartphone, tablet and TV), for the measurement of vital signs. The general practitioners have access to a simple and intuitive web interface to monitor the patients’ parameters trend and send them feedback. Preliminary usability tests have been carried out, with satisfying results, both with elderly patients and with general practitioners
Towards an integrated TV-based system for active ageing and tele-care
No full textActive ageing and independent living are primary goals of modern society, experiencing a progressive increase of the
elderly population. The societal challenges of promoting inclusion strategies along with home-care services supporting independence and de-hospitalization strike against the sustainability of policies tackling these aspects in traditional ways.
This paper presents the first steps of an AAL Joint Programme project, HEREiAM, aimed at developing an interactive TV-based
technological platform, designed around the expected users and delivering both healthcare and AAL services directly in the user’s
home. Mainly thought to break down the digital divide for the elderly, it will take advantage of this preliminary profiling and usability study to define the specifications able to create a really
usable system embodying the required functionalities
A TV-based ICT Platform for Active Ageing, Tele-care and Social Networking
No full textThe modern society is dealing with a progressive increase of the elderly population. The development of
services for social inclusion and independent living is of paramount importance to enable the elderly to live
in their homes autonomously as long as possible. Such a solution paves the way to a sustainable social and
economic model where older adults develop self-confidence and promote their participation to the community
life. This paper presents the hardware/software framework of a novel ICT system for active ageing support,
which combines the potentialities of broadband internet services to the simplicity of TV use. User research in
three European countries allowed to define several important services (healthcare, home monitoring, shopping,
communication and social inclusion) to be provided through the developed platform. Its modularity, supported
by the App paradigm, enables easy customization and future developments
Going Beyond Counting First Authors in Author Co-citation Analysis
Full text linkThe present study examines one of the fundamental aspects of author co-citation analysis (ACA) - the way co-citation
counts are defined. Co-citation counting provides the data on which all subsequent statistical analyses and mappings
are based, and we compare ACA results based on two different types of co-citation counting - the traditional type that
only counts the first one among a cited work's authors on the one hand and a non-traditional type that takes into
account the first 5 authors of a cited work on the other hand. Results indicate that the picture produced through this non-traditional author co-citation counting contains more coherent author groups and is therefore considerably clearer. However, this picture represents fewer specialties in the research field being studied than that produced through the traditional first-author co-citation counting when the same number of top-ranked authors is selected and analyzed. Reasons for these effects are discussed
Variations on the Author
Full text link“Variations on the Author” discusses two of Eduardo Coutinho’s recent films (Um Dia na Vida, from 2010, and Últimas Conversas, posthumously released in 2015) and their contribution to the general question of documentary authorship. The director’s filmography is characterized by a consistent yet self-effacing form of authorial self-inscription: Coutinho often features as an interviewer that rather than express opinions propels discourses; an interviewer that is good at listening. This mode of self-inscription characterizes him as an author who is not expressive but who is nonetheless markedly present on the screen. In Um Dia na Vida, however, Coutinho is completely absent form the image, while Últimas Conversas, on the contrary, includes a confessional prologue that moves the director from the margins to the center of his films. This article examines the ways in which these works stand out in the filmography of a director who offers new insights into the notion of cinematic authorship
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